JPH0577518A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve the miniaturization and cost reduction of a recording apparatus by dispensing with a special mechanism component for guiding recording paper at the rotary contact part of a capstan roller and a platen roller. CONSTITUTION:When it is detected that the leading end of recording paper 2 is fed to the printing head 4 separated from a platen roller 3 by a paper detection means 9 with the starting of recording operation to be positioned in a first posture not guiding the recording paper 2 to the rotary contact part of a capstan roller 5 and the platen roller 3 or the vicinity of said printing head 4, the printing head 4 is revolved from the first posture to the second posture coming into contact with the platen roller 3 under pressure to guide the leading end of the recording paper 2 to the rotary contact part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, and more particularly to an improvement of a mechanism for rolling a capstan roller onto a platen roller and guiding the recording paper to the rolling contact portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a recording apparatus of this type, there is one shown in FIG. 7, for example. In the method shown in FIG. 7, the recording paper 72 conveyed by a paper feed mechanism (not shown) such as a paper feed roller is guided by the guide member 77 to the rolling contact portion between the capstan roller 75 and the platen roller 73. It
At this time, the thermal head 74 normally moves to the platen roller 73.
Waiting in a suitable position above. And the recording paper 7
When 2 is inserted to a predetermined position of the rolling contact portion, the thermal head 74 presses the ink sheet 71 against the platen roller 73 to start recording.

However, in this method, a dedicated guide member 77 must be provided inside the apparatus main body, and particularly when the conveyed recording paper is turned over and then guided to the rolling contact portion, the guide member 77 is used. Had to be arranged up to the platen roller proximity portion, and it was difficult to set the position of the guide member.

On the other hand, recently, a recording apparatus has been proposed in which the print head is also used as a guide member (Actual development number 59).
-139345), for example, when the recording paper 72 is guided to the rolling contact portion by the thermal head 74 instead of the guide member 77 of the above-described conventional apparatus, the guide member 77 can be eliminated. Met.

[0005]

However, even if the above-mentioned conventional method is used, the print head must be closely opposed to the platen roller by a predetermined gap, and a member for setting the position is required. I had to set it up again.

Further, a guide member for guiding the recording paper to the print head has to be arranged close to the platen roller and the print head, which makes it difficult to set and adjust the position.

Therefore, the present invention seeks to overcome such drawbacks.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a platen roller, and a print head for recording an image on a recording sheet conveyed to the pressure contact portion while being pressed against the platen roller.
In a recording apparatus, which is provided on the downstream side of the print head in the recording paper conveyance direction, and includes a capstan roller that is in contact with the platen roller to nip and convey the recording paper, the print head is separated from the platen roller, A head drive means for rotating the recording paper into a first posture in which it is not guided to the rolling contact portion between the capstan roller and the platen roller, and a second posture in which the recording paper is pressed into contact with the platen roller and guided to the rolling contact portion. A paper detection unit that detects that the leading edge of the recording paper has been conveyed to or near the print head located in the first posture with the start of the recording operation; The print head is positioned in the first posture, and when the paper detection unit detects the print head, the print head is moved to the first posture by the head driving unit. A head drive control means for rotating the et the second position, a recording apparatus comprising: a.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the front end of the recording paper can be reliably guided to the rolling contact portion between the capstan roller and the platen roller only by pressing the print head against the platen roller.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings showing its embodiments.

First, a schematic structure of a sublimation type thermal transfer printer embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is an ink sheet containing a sublimable dye, 2 is a recording paper on the surface of which a layer of white concealed polypropylene having a high affinity for the sublimable dye is provided, 3 is a platen roller, 4 is a thermal head, 5 is a printer It is a capstan roller that is movably supported by the main body and is in rolling contact with the circumference of the platen roller 3, and uses a rubber roller such as urethane rubber. Reference numeral 6 is a paper feed roller for feeding the recording paper 2 into the printer main body, and 7 is a guide member for guiding the recording paper 2 conveyed from the paper feed roller 6 to the thermal head 4. The guide member 7 is designed so that it does not easily go around the platen roller 3. Reference numeral 8 is a mark portion previously recorded on the side edge portion of the recording paper 2, and 9 is a paper detection sensor including a mark portion 8 and a reflective photosensor for detecting the trailing end of the recording paper.

Here, the thermal head 4 is separated from the platen roller 3 when the printer main body is in a standby state, and the recording paper 2 is a rolling contact portion between the capstan roller 5 and the platen roller 3 (hereinafter abbreviated as a rolling contact portion). When the recording sheet is conveyed, it is pressed against the platen roller 3 by turning on a head drive motor (not shown), and the recording sheet 2 is wound around the platen roller 3 when the recording sheet is conveyed. It is positioned so as to guide it to the rolling contact part.

Next, the configuration of the recording paper conveyance control circuit of the printer will be described with reference to FIG. 21 is a CPU
This is a (microcomputer), and the CPU 21 takes in output signals from the paper detection sensor 9 and the head position sensor 22, and according to a program previously written in a ROM (read-only memory) 23, a conveyance motor control circuit 24 and a head drive circuit. It controls the control circuit 25 and the like. The carry motor control circuit 24 controls the carry motor 26 for driving the platen roller 3 and the paper feed roller 6 so as to generate ON and OFF signals. The head drive control circuit 25 controls the head drive motor 27 for pressing and separating the thermal head 4 to and from the platen roller 3 so as to generate ON / OFF signals.

Next, the basic operation of the recording paper conveyance of the above embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 3 and the schematic configuration diagrams of FIGS. 4 to 6. When a recording button (not shown) provided on the printer body is pressed, the carry motor 26
Is turned on, the paper feed roller 6 is rotated (S1), the recording paper 2 is conveyed into the printer body, and it is judged whether or not the mark portion 8 of the recording paper 2 is detected by the paper detection sensor 9 (S).
2). If it is not determined in step S2 that the paper detection sensor 9 has detected the mark portion 8 of the recording paper 2, the process returns to step S1. If it is determined that the paper detection sensor 9 has detected the mark portion 8, the next step is performed. In step S3, the conveyance motor 26 is turned off and the rotation of the paper feed roller is stopped.

FIG. 4 shows the recording paper conveyance state at this time. As shown in the figure, the rotation of the paper feed roller 7 is stopped in a state where the leading end of the recording paper 2 is conveyed to a position where the leading end of the recording paper 2 contacts the thermal head 4 via the ink sheet 1 or approaches. Note that the thermal head 4 is separated from the platen roller 3 and is positioned not to guide the recording paper 2 to the rolling contact portion, as in the standby state of the printer body.

Next, the head drive motor 27 is turned on (S4), the thermal head 4 is lowered toward the platen roller 3, and it is determined whether or not the thermal head 4 is in pressure contact with the platen roller 3 by the head position sensor 22. Is detected by (S5). If the head position sensor 22 is off in step S5, that is, if the thermal head 4 is not in pressure contact with the platen roller 3, the process returns to step 4,
If the head position sensor 22 is on, the next step S
In step 6, the head drive motor 27 is turned off.

FIG. 5 shows the recording paper conveyance state at this time. As shown in the figure, when the mark portion 8 of the recording paper is detected by the paper detection sensor 9, the thermal head 4 is rotated in the direction of the platen roller 3 and the thermal head 4 is rotated.
Is pressed against the platen roller 3, and the leading end of the recording paper 2 is curved and wound around the platen roller 3.

Then, in the next step S7, the carry motor 26 is turned on again and the platen roller 3 rotates,
The recording paper 2 is conveyed to the rolling contact portion. Then, it is determined whether the paper detection sensor 8 has detected the trailing edge of the recording paper 2 (S
8) If not detected, the process returns to step S7, and if detected, the carry motor 26 is turned off to stop the rotation of the platen roller 3 (S9). The distance between the mark portion 8 and the rear end of the recording paper 2 is such that the distance between the pressure contact portion between the thermal head 4 and the platen roller 3 and the rolling contact portion has a slight margin.

FIG. 6 shows the recording paper conveyance state at this time. As shown in the figure, the thermal head 4 guides the leading end portion of the recording paper 2 that is conveyed again by the rotation of the platen roller to the vicinity of the rolling contact portion, and the capstan roller 5
By rotating the platen roller 3, the leading end of the recording paper 2 is inserted into the rolling contact portion.

By the above operation, the leading end of the recording paper 2 is securely sandwiched between the rolling contact portions, and then the heating resistor (not shown) of the thermal head 4 is driven in accordance with the image signal, whereby the ink sheet 1 The sublimable dye pigment inside is recording paper 2
The data is diffused and transferred onto the surface, and recording is performed.

In this embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the sublimation type thermal transfer printer has been described, but the present invention is also applicable to a recording apparatus such as a fusion type thermal transfer printer or a magnetic head printer.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the recording paper is separated from the platen roller, and the recording paper is not guided to the rolling contact portion between the capstan roller and the platen roller.
When the print head is conveyed to or near the print head in the posture, the print head is rotated from the first posture to the second posture in which the print head is brought into pressure contact with the platen roller, so that the leading end of the recording paper rolls. Be sure to be guided to the contact area.

Therefore, in order to guide the recording paper to the rolling contact portion, there is no need for a mechanical component for bringing the print head close to the platen roller, so that the apparatus main body can be downsized and the cost can be reduced.

Further, the shape of the guide member for guiding the recording paper to the print head can be simplified, and the mounting and position adjustment of the guide member on the apparatus main body can be easily performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sublimation type thermal transfer printer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a recording paper conveyance control circuit in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation of recording paper conveyance in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining a recording paper conveyance state in the embodiment in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining a recording paper conveyance state in the embodiment in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining a recording paper conveyance state in the embodiment in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 recording paper 3 platen roller 4 thermal head (printing head) 5 capstan roller 8 mark part 9 paper detection sensor 21 CPU 22 head position sensor 23 ROM 24 transport motor control circuit 25 head drive control circuit 26 transport motor 27 head drive motor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A platen roller, a print head for recording an image on a recording paper conveyed to the pressure contact portion in a state of being pressed against the platen roller, and a print head provided downstream of the print head in the recording paper conveyance direction. A recording device provided with a capstan roller that is in contact with the platen roller and that conveys the recording paper in a sandwiched manner, wherein the print head is separated from the platen roller, and the recording paper is in contact with the capstan roller and the platen roller. A first position in which the recording paper is not guided to a portion, a head driving unit that presses the platen roller into a second position that guides the recording paper to the rolling contact portion, and the leading end of the recording paper becomes Paper detection means for detecting that the print head has been conveyed to or near the print head located in the first posture, and when the recording operation is started, the head drive means A head drive control unit that positions the print head in the first posture and rotates the print head from the first posture to the second posture by the head driving unit when the paper detection unit detects the print head. A recording device characterized by the above.